Most people like to put their personal stamp on their PC with their own desktop wallpaper and settings that have been tweaked just the way they like them. But all that is lost when they log onto a shared PC on which they don’t have an account set up. All that changes with Windows 8, which allows users to enjoy their own profile, settings and Metro style apps on any Windows 8 PC by logging in with their Windows Live ID http://www.gizmag.com/windows-8-syncs-settings-and-apps/19958/

Google evangelist warns Facebook could be the next AOL or IBM

Vint Cerf, Google's chief internet evangelist, and the man who designed one of the key building blocks of the internet, warned that Facebook's 'closed' architecture meant that it was risk of eventually failing to keep up with the public who want an open standard so they can easily jump from one website to another.

One comment I loved: "I think that Google are a magnificent company.

I think that it is incredibly benevolent of one of their senior employees to advise their major competitor to make changes in order to improve their business, thus harming Google by moving Facebook towards being a one-stop shop.

This kind of considerate, self-disinterested, non-money oriented decision is what has made Google what it is today.

It's so refreshing to see big business willingly injure itself in order to make the consumers life that much better.

No Benefit, Possible Harm From Routine Depression Screening

Routine screening for depression in primary care, as recommended by organizations in the United States and Canada, has not been shown to be beneficial, and may even be harmful, according to new research published online September 19 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. http://www.psychsearch.net/psych_news/?p=1873

Exercise Caution When Picking up Sealed, Discarded Containers

I received a caution in the mail and, unfortunately, it checks out as true. I have reworded it here and provided a handling that was not in the original post.

Miscreants are putting Drano (a substance that unblocks drains), tin foil and a little water in plastic drink bottles and capping it up - leaving it on lawns, in mail boxes, in gardens, on driveways etc. just waiting for you to pick it up intending to put it in the rubbish.

If the bottle is picked up and shaken even just a little - in about 30 seconds or less it builds up enough gas to explodes the bottle with sufficient force to cause harm. The liquid that comes out is boiling hot as well.

Now what the alarmist who wrote this does not mention is that these bottle bombs can be instantly defused by unscrewing the cap slightly to prevent a pressure build up. Of course they still need to be handled with care so you do not spill the contents over yourself. http://www.hoax-slayer.com/drano-bottle-bomb.shtml

Mammograms increase the risk for developing breast cancer

"Mammograms increase the risk for developing breast cancer and raise the risk of spreading or metastasizing an existing growth," says Dr. Charles B. Simone, a former clinical associate in immunology and pharmacology at the National Cancer Institute. Safer and even more effective diagnostic techniques like infrared thermography, has been vigorously attacked by the Breast Cancer Awareness organizations.

Girls Stuff

Antibacterial Soap?

These can still support the growth of germs! The Center for Disease Control reports that antibacterial soaps have not been found to be any more effective at killing germs than regular plain soap. Using antibacterial soap may even lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to being destroyed, making it harder to kill these germs in the future. From Dr. Anita Pepi.

Representing one of the most agriculturally bio-diverse nations in the world, India has become a primary target for biotechnology companies like Monsanto and Cargill to spread their genetically-modified (GM) crops into new markets. However, a recent France 24 report explains that the Indian government has decided to take an offensive approach against this attempted agricultural takeover by suing Monsanto for "biopiracy," accusing the company of stealing India's indigenous plants in order to re-engineer them into patented varieties. http://www.naturalnews.com/033714_biopiracy_Monsanto.html

Wise Words From A Copywrighter

Many entrepreneurs I meet - even mom-and-pops and SOHOs - spend thousands of dollars on hiring so-called experts to advise them on how to make their businesses more successful.

Sometimes, the expert's advice works out, the investment is recouped, and the entrepreneur is better off for consulting with a professional.

Other times, the expert's advice is either useless or wrong. The client has thrown thousands of dollars he can't afford to lose down the drain, and sees no improvement in his bottom line, productivity, efficiency, or operations.

Since I am frequently on both sides of the table - I sell my services as a copywriter and consultant, and also buy lots of services for my little Internet marketing business - I have a small bit of advice that might save you this agony ... and enable
you to select advisors who can actually help you.

In my experience, there are 3 types of experts for hire.

The first type of expert I call the teacher.

"Teachers" are those who give training, speeches, and seminars...write books and blogs and columns ... sell their expertise as consultants or coaches - but don't actually practice what they preach.

You know the expression "those who can, do; those who can't, teach."

I don't think it's always true ... but these teachers have never, for the most part, proven that they can do what they talk about.

That because mainly they've only taught it or advised others how to do it, but have never done it themselves.

An example of a "teacher expert" is Tom Peters.

He is revered as a management guru, and writes endless books and gives speech after speech advising CEOs on how to be great managers and leaders.

But he has never been the chief executive of any company. (Running your own consulting business does not count.)

The second type of expert is the practitioner.

This is someone who knows a particular skill or area because he does it - and does it successfully - rather than writes books or articles about it.

An example is Gary Bencivenga, who is arguably one of the greatest copywriters who ever lived.

Yet until his retirement, Gary - to the best of my knowledge -- never wrote a book, article, or column on marketing. Nor was he a speaker at marketing conferences.

The third type of expert is the teacher/practitioner - an active practitioner who is also a writer, speaker, and teacher in his area of expertise.

A good example of this is Michael Masterson, who writes best-selling books on business success and entrepreneurship -- based on his decades of experience building and growing many successful companies.

Some of the many companies he has been involved with generate annual sales ranging from $10 million to $100 million -- and beyond.

Now, as to which type of experts you should hire - and when....

If you are a seminar organizer or meeting planner, most of your speakers are probably teachers.

That's because speaking is how they make their living, and so they are actively seeking these speaking engagements. And, they are good speakers. (Many practitioners for the most part shun speaking requests; they are too busy making money running their companies.)

You may think hiring a professional speaker to give a professional speech makes sense.

After all, you want someone who knows the topic and can communicate it in a clear, motivating, and entertaining fashion.

The problem is that the teacher's knowledge is all theoretical: gleaned from research and observation and thinking, but not actually doing.

Therefore, the teacher thinks he knows what works ... but in reality, he is just making educated guesses.

MA, a professional speaker who also owned and operated several successful insurance agencies, once said that nobody should be a full-time speaker -- because if you are not practicing what you preach, you really don't know what you are talking about.

Yes, you can hire a teacher as your seminar presenter or keynote speaker.

Many can deliver a rousing talk that gets a standing ovation and great evaluations.

But their expertise rarely extends beyond the content of the talk. And this shallowness inevitably comes through in both their presentation and their interaction with attendees after they step down from the platform.

If you are a small business owner hiring expert advisors and professionals - copywriters, strategists, consultants, and advisors - you should never hire pure teachers.

Think about it. Let's say you want to hire someone to manage a pay-per-click ad campaign for your company.

Do you really want to take the advice from someone who has, over his lifetime, done fewer actual PPC ad campaigns than you have?

Someone who has merely written a book based on studying the PPC campaigns of others -or real entrepreneurs with the guts to actually put their own money where their mouth is?

The bottom line?

Your key business advisors and vendors should all be practitioners or practitioner/teachers.

First and foremost, they should have long experience - and a terrific track record - in the discipline for which you seek their help.

For this purpose, either a practitioner or a practitioner/teacher will do nicely.

The one advantage of the practitioner/teacher over the practitioner is an enhanced ability to clearly and efficiently explain what he is doing ... so his clients can learn and -- over time -- become more self sufficient.

I once heard the definition of an expert as someone who doesn't necessarily know more than other people, but their information is better organized.

A practitioner expert, however, does know more than other people -- because he has learned from real-world trial and error.

A teaching expert, on the other hand, usually does not know more - because his knowledge is gleaned from studying practitioners who do know more.

But the teacher's information is better organized as a result of putting it into a seminar, workshop, or book.

As for the practitioner/teachers, they can in some instances give you the best of both worlds.

As their client, you get the expert's in-depth experience and authoritative knowledge of the subject in which they advise you.

You also benefit from the expert's ability to help you both understand what they are doing (and why) as well as educate you in their field.

That way, you can learn over time to do more and more on your own -- if you are so inclined.

This Government is Implementing Death Duties by Stealth - RETROSPECTIVELY!

On Finding A Marital Partner

The best bits of advice I have heard on the subject summate to: Find a not unattractive, single person whom you admire and respect and with whom you enjoy communicating. Spend some time with them. Compare your respective goals and purposes in life. If they align, great!

How To Prepare Tomato Seeds For Storage

Take a fully ripened tomato and cut it in half. Scoop or squeeze out the seeds and juice into a small, labeled container. If done carefully, the tomato itself can be saved for eating, sun-drying or canning.

Add a little water to the container so that the seeds can float, then loosely cover it and set it in a warm place for 3-5 days where the odor will not bother you. Stir or swirl the mixture once or twice a day. The seeds will ferment and mold will grow at the surface. This mold is your friend; it eats the gelatinous coat around the seeds that stop germination. It also produces antibiotics that prevent disease.

The viable, mature seeds will sink to the bottom. Pour off the excess water and solids at the top. Add more water and repeat this step until the seeds are clean and the water being poured off is almost clear.

Spread the seeds onto a paper towel or plate and let them dry for 1-3 days. Keep them away from direct sunlight. Stir them to make sure they do not dry in clumps.

Store the seeds in a dark, cool place in an airtight container. Don't forget to label them with the name, variety and date you saved them!